Control mechanism



March 8,`1927.

f J. E. RENHOLDT CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1924 ATTORNEY V INVENTOR Y JOHNE. RENHOLDT.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. RENHOLDT, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT.

CONTROL MECHANISM.

Application led May 19, 1924. Serial No. 714,355.

This invention relates to control mechanisms, and in the embodiment herein shown as illustrative of the invention, it is applied to the control mechanism for phonographs.

In the accompanying' drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view ot a speaking-tube handle for a dictation machine showing one embodiment of this invention in use, the operators thumb being shown in position to operate the main control-device while the lingers of the same hand are in position to operate the auxiliary controldevice.

Fig. 2 is a sectional vien7 of t-he speakingtube handle showing applied thereto the form of the present invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing the main control-device in elevation, and also showing the auxiliary control-device which locks it in operative position.

Fig. 4 is a vien7 similar to Fig. 3 showing the main control-device locked in operative position by the auxiliary controldevice.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4; showing a modification of the present invention.

In dictating machines to which this invention is shown as applied, the speakingtube 10 is provided with a handle 11, having a socket 12 for the reception of the mouthpiece 13. The dictator grasps the handle, as shown by the hand 111 (Fig. 1) and holds the mouthpiece 13 close to his upper-lip so that the sound emitted may be received by the mouthpiece to be transmitted to the recording mechanism Iof the machine by the speaking-tube 10. The speakingtube 10 is also employed to transmit the sound from the reproducing mechanism, when it is desired to listen to what has been dictated, and in this case the mouthpiece 13 is held to the ear.

As is usual in such machines, the handle 11 is adapted to support a control-button 15, Whose function is to cause the recordmandrel to rotate and the sound-box carriage to travel longitudinally tor the purpose of recording or reproducing the sound when the control-button 15 is depressed.

The control-button 15 has a stem 1G slidably guided in a tube 17 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which extends into the handle 11 and which is secured thereto in any suitable manner. At its inside end, the stem 16 is adapted to engage a bell-crank 1S pivoted at 19 on a suitable block 2O held to the handle by screws 21. An arm Q2 of the bell-crank engages thc end ot a Bowdenwire element 23, which. at its other end, engages a clutch controlling the rotation oit the record-mandrel and traveling movements Volt' the carriage. The depression of the control-button 15 causes the element 23 ot the Bowden-Wire to be moved longitudinally to operate the clutch against the tension of a spring` acting to hold the clutch in inoperative position.

Of course, it desired, the control-button 15 may be arranged to electrically control the clutch, and in this case, the button 15 would be connected to a switch mechanism in circuit with electrical conductors passing through the speaking-tube to a suitable electro-magnet adapted to operate the clutch mechanism.

In practice, the dictator depresses the button 15 only when speaking int-o the machine and releases the button when he pauses to formulate his further dictation or when he is interrupted, so that the record-surface will not be Wasted by operation of the machine at times when no sound is being recorded. Usually, dictation is spasmodical or intermittent and thus the dictator repeatedly depresses and releases the control-button 15. It is not,- generally inconvenient or uncomfortable to continue the pressure of his thumb on the control-button While dictat-ing for the reason that the pressure is relaxed at Jfrequent intervals during the pauses.

However, in some cases, Where matter is dictated from notes, or when it is Well tormulated in the dictator-s mind, and also when it is desired to listen to extended dictation previously recorded, it is somewhat of a strain to maintain the pressure of the thumb upon the control-button 15. To avoid this inconvenience, the present invention provides an auxiliary control-device adapted to lock the control-button 15 in depressed or operative position. This aux iliary control device comprises a tingerpiece 24 havingan ear 25 pivotally mounted by means of a screw or stud 2G on an ear 27 forming part of a supporting bracket 28. The bracket 28 is mounted upon the outside ot the speaking-tube handle 11 and is supported by the tube 1T; through which the stem 16 of the control-button 15 passes. The stem 16, for this purpose, is

provided with a collar-29 threaded upon the end 30 or" the tube 17. This collar has a nut 31 integral therewith by means oi which it may be secured in place on the tube 17. The bracket 28 is placed upon the collar 29, as shown in Figs.V 3 and 1, and is secured in place upon the collar by Vmeans of anut 32 engaging a screw-threaded portion` 33 of the collar 29. v The collar 29 has a flange 31 through which the stem 16 passes and which engages a shoulder 35 provided on the stem to limit the outward movement of the stem 16. l Y

In applyingthe auxiliary control to the handle 11, a cap, supplied as part of the regular equipment which guides the stem 16 and which is threaded. upon the tube 17, is removed andthe collar 29 is substitutedL therefor. That is, of course, when the auxiliary control is applied to existing machines. In applying the auxiliary control to new machines, the collar 29 is mounted upon the tube 17 and the other parts are secured in place at the factory before the machine is Y shipped.

The finger-piece 21 ot the auxiliary conadapted to engage a circumferential groove 37 provided in the stem 16 when the stem is fully depressed as shown in Fig. 1.

Y This engagement of the tooth 36 with the groove 37 is automatically produced by the actionorn a spring 38 riveted to the bracket 23 at 39 and engaging the underside of the finger-piece 21 at.10. To release the controlbutton 15 after it has been locked down as shown in Fig. 1 by the finger-piece 21, it is merely necessary for the operator to depress the linger-piece 21 to withdraw the .catch 36 from the groove 3T. This allows the stem 16 and the button 15 to rise under the influence ot a spring 11Vin the Bowdenwire element and a spring, not shown, provided in the .clutchmechanism operated by the Bowden-wire.

The linger-piece 21 is so located that the lingers of the operators hand holding the speaking-tube, while the thumb is inY position above the button 15, may depress the linger-piece 21 to move it to released position, thus making it` unnecessary for the operator to move his thumb.

By thus 'providing the finger-piece 2- at the side ot the handle 11, where it can be Icontrolled bythe lingers oit the opera hand holding the handle 11, the linger-piece 21 and its catch 36 may be held out ot operative position by these lingers when the operator desires to dictate intermittently.

The spring 38 for holding Ythe linger-piece in its operative position is so light that it requires very little pressure to maintain the linger-piece 21 depressed and the auxiliary cont-rol in inoperative position for the purpose above stated.

Ill/Then -it is desired to have the auxiliary control come into operation, the dictator grips the handle 11 as shown in Fig. 1 by all but one linger of the hand, Ythat linger being located above the auxiliary-control 21 where itV can instantly engage the lingerpiece 21 and release the catch 36 when desired. The guard 12 provided on the opposite side of the handle 11 properly locates the dictators hand and facilitates theholding of the handle.

It should be noted that since the auxiliary control is mounted upon the tube 17 and needs to be secured to no other part, it may be applied to existing machines with very` little labor. 'v

In Fig. V5 a modification of the present invention is shown. In this form 'of device, the auxiliary control'21 is mounted upon an ear 13 upstanding Jfrom a band 11V adapted to embrace Vthe handle 11. The band 11 is split at 15 andV has its ends secured together by a bolt 16.

Variations and modifications may be resorted -to` within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having now described this invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a tubular handle; a manually operable rod movable in said handle; a tube secured to said handle and adapted to guide movement of said rod; a manually operable latch adapted to loclr said rod in one of its positions; a bracket for said manually operable latch; and means for securing said bracket to said tube.

2. In a dictat'ing machine, a speaking-tube handle; a thumb-operated button mounted onand protruding from the side of the handle adapted to control part of the dictating machine; a latch for holding the thumb-operated button in operative position; and means connected to said latch to be operated by the fingers of the hand holding the handle. v

3. In combination, a handle; a thumb-operated button on one Vside of the handle; a guard at the other side of the handle adapted to engage the hand holding the handle; means :tor locking the thumb-operated device in operative position; and means for releasing said locking means located on the handle Vbetween the thumb control device and said guard.

1. A remote control device for manually controlled machines comprising a handle; a

llOv

bracket adapted to lock Said button in operative position.

Sign-ed at Bridgeport, in the county of l0 Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 17th day of May1 1924.

JOHN E. RENHOLDT. 

